Re: SQL Server 2005 Express Agent

You cannot do that with Express but you can start with the Eval version which is good for 180 days but a live application I would get the developer edition to use the Agent to manage your Express based application because the developer edition is about $60.00.
I have seen SQL Server without databases running just the Agent. Hope this helps.

Re: SQL Server 2005 Express Agent

Hi Caddre - thank you - but if I installed the developer version, although I could then use (SQL Server FULL - Developer) for 180 days, would that then mean the Agent would also expire after 180 days? If so, I'm a bit stuck - and would be forced into buying
full blown SQL Server, just for a few users - if I wanted to make backups using the agent?

Or am I missing the point - where, like SQL Server 2000 - you can install it, and use the 'Enterprise Manager' version for 2005, against SQL Server Express - for as long as you need it?

Re: SQL Server 2005 Express Agent

I am sorry I was not clear the eval version is good for 180 days but the developer edition which cost $60 in 2005 is the same as in SQL Server 2000 you can use the Management studio to manage all your Express editions forever. Look up the number of instance
in one box limitation in SQL Server BOL (books online) but if you install the developer edition in a separate box you can register as many as you have because I have registered 68 full SQL Server 2000/7 in one box and access all as local. If you have more
questions post again. Hope this helps.

Re: SQL Server 2005 Express Agent

I realize that this is an old post but, I just read through the EULA for Developer Edition and what you have suggested seems to be in conflict with the license agreement.

"

2. INSTALLATION AND USE RIGHTS.

a. General. One user may install and use copies of the software to design, develop, test and demonstrate your

programs. Testing does not include staging on a server in a production environment, such as loading content prior

to production use.

b. Included Microsoft Programs.
These license terms apply to all Microsoft programs included with the software.

If the license terms with any of those programs give you other rights that do not expressly conflict with these

license terms, you also have those rights."

If you know of other documentation or have additional information about how it would be legal to use the Management Studio on a production server please let me know. I am trying to develop a backup plan for my SQLExpress DBs and this would
be profoundly helpful.

Thanks.

Whether you think you can or you think you can't; you're right.
If Heaven ain't a lot like Detroit, then I don't wanna go... - Uncle Cracker

Re: SQL Server 2005 Express Agent

The bad news is Microsoft reads my posts and others because we know SQL Server automation dependent on SQL Server Agent, so they changed their EULA to you must pay us money to run the Agent and DTS/SSIS. So now you have to buy some version to run JOBs but
I think you can access the Backup and Restore wizard through the limited Management Studio they provided for the Express. Backup is very important so you have to either buy third party tool, use SMO(sql server management object) code or get the baseline SQL
Server to manage all your Express edition. Hope this helps.

Re: SQL Server 2005 Express Agent

Thanks for the reply. The 3rd party tool that I just got seems to depend on the Agent which isn't available. I used Management Studio to create a .sql file that I was thinking about using with sqlcmd.exe in some sort of batch file. Perhaps I will look at
the SMO as you suggested.

Whether you think you can or you think you can't; you're right.
If Heaven ain't a lot like Detroit, then I don't wanna go... - Uncle Cracker

Re: SQL Server 2005 Express Agent

[quote user="DetroitJ"]Thanks for the reply. The 3rd party tool that I just got seems to depend on the Agent which isn't available. I used Management Studio to create a .sql file that I was thinking about using with sqlcmd.exe in some sort of batch file.
Perhaps I will look at the SMO as you suggested.

I feel bad for creating this because Microsoft did not know the Agent was so powerful. in short you can drink coffee while it gets data from any location on your Enterprise. And another bad news xp_cmdshell is Agent dependent. Check that Management Studio
see if you can see SQL Maint, if it is there it can run Backup through Management Studio but we SQL Server users don't trust it because the Agent is very reliable.

Re: SQL Server 2005 Express Agent

DetroitJ

Thanks for the reply. The 3rd party tool that I just got seems to depend on the Agent which isn't available. I used Management Studio to create a .sql file that I was thinking about using with sqlcmd.exe in some sort of batch file. Perhaps I will look at
the SMO as you suggested.

I have found two SMO based code samples that uses Windows Scheduler to schedule your backup. Hope this helps.